Lou's POV
The annoying sound of my phone alarm woke me up from my deep slumber. I groaned before taking in my surroundings.
I almost forgot about the awful events of yesterday. Today was just going to be worse, everyone knows and I really had to talk to Cheryl.
When I raised my head from the really comfy pillow I noticed that I had mascara and everything smeared around my face. Great now I look like a clown.
Before getting dressed I quickly took a shower and actually found some concealer, eyebrow products, a new toothbrush and some mascara in the cabinet next to the sink.
I mentally thanked Toni and applied the make up to my face. When I got back in my room I slipped on the already laid out outfit from Toni and it looked pretty decent. It had some North and Southside in it.
After I was completely done I grabbed the little purse I carried with me yesterday and folded my dress. I noticed a pair of black high heel ankle boots next to my door and again I mentally thanked Toni.
Then I exited the door but ran into a hard chest when I stepped down the steps, typing on my phone.
When I looked up I saw the smaller guy with the brown hair in front of me. "Uhm sorry", I muttered before stepping around him and making my way towards the high school.
Toni's POV
The door slammed shut and I knew Lou was out. She was actually so pretty and nice holy, god Toni she has a boyfriend and that girl is heartbroken as fuck. Get your stuff together.
I heard a knock on the door, probably Fangs. I slipped on a bralette and some sweatpants before opening the door for him.
"Topaz", he smiled holding up the usual breakfast. "Forgaty, come in dude", I smiled opening the door further for him.
We sat down and started enjoying our meal. "So you got laid last night?", he asked smirking. "What makes you think that?", I chuckled.
"Well I saw the Northside princess leave just a couple minutes ago, we all know how you love good girls", he smirked taking a sip of his coffee.
"Don't call her Northside princess, she stayed the night in a separate room", I explaining feeling bad for her. "Why would you let a stranger also a Northsider stay at your house?", he asked confused.
"Her name is Lou, Lou Jones", I explained, "Yes FP's daughter. He got arrested for Jason Blossom's murder last night. She used to stay at her best friends house who was Jason's sister so she couldn't return and I felt bad for her you know".
"So the Northside princess is actually the Serpent princess?", Fangs asked living for the tea. "Yep", I chuckled. "Damn, Sweet Pea will love this story", he muttered.
*
Lou's POV
I sat in the lunch area with Betty, Archie, Kevin, and Veronica. I was seated next to Kevin and kept my head down.
"Where were you last night?", Kevin asked me. "I stayed at a friends house", I explained. For some reason, I couldn't get myself to go over to Cheryl.
"The police report says FP worked alone. No mention of your dad, that good news, right?", Betty told Veronica. "I can't stop thinking that maybe my dad hired another Serpent to plant that gun", Veronica muttered.
"It's surreal isn't it?", Kevin asked the group. "How's Jug?", I asked Betty.
"Not good. He's not coming in. He's at the station, being grilled by your dad", Betty explained. "Who's doing his job. He's gonna ask Jughead questions", Kevin insisted.
"Okay, well, he's wasting his time, Kev, because FP didn't kill Jason", Betty snapped back. "Betty, he confessed", I muttered still deeply betrayed by my father once again.
"Or he was coerced", Betty said giving me a smile.
"Or he's protecting someone. Maybe a Serpent", Archie suggested. "My mom saw him and Joaquin together", Betty said. "Don't. Do not drag my boyfriend into this", Kevin snapped at Betty.
"Oh no", Veronica muttered making us all look where she was looking. She watched as my brother walked through the cafeteria with his head down.
To my surprise he didn't walk towards us, he walked straight towards Cheryl. I quickly got up from my seat and approached Jughead just in time when he stopped in front of Cheryl.
"I'm sorry, Cheryl", Jughead quietly told my best friend. Cheryl kept quiet and slowly stood up from her seat with tears brimming in her eyes.
She stepped towards my brother ignoring me completely, suddenly she slapped him across the face hard and then started to beat his chest with her little fists.
Archie peeled her off of Jughead who had a bloody lip by that time. "Mister Jones, you need to come with me", Principal Weatherbee said stepping into the scene.
"He was apologizing, he didn't do anything", Archie yelled but was cut off rudely by our principal, "Right now".
I kept standing there my mouth still open in shock. My eyes filled with tears, if Cheryl hated Jug for what our dad did she'll probably hate me too, I thought.
I pushed my way through the cafeteria and followed Cheryl who rushed into the locker room.
"Cheryl?", I called out for her. "I barely touched him", she sobbed and looked at me through the mirror.
"It's not his nor my fault, Cher. Even if our dad did it, it's-", I started but was cut off by her. "Everyone keeps coming up to me and hugging me and telling me that I must be so relieved that my brother's killer has finally been caught. This nightmare is over but then, why doesn't it feel that way?", she asked turning around.
"The murderer of my brother is my best friends dad? Never, whoever killed Jason might still be out there", Cheryl said tears slipping out of her eyes.
"So you don't hate me?", I asked also tearing up. "I could never hate you, Lou. I love you more than anything", she whispered pulling me into a much-needed hug.
"Where were you anyway?"
"After they arrested my dad I just lost it. I walked to our trailer on the Southside but was held back by a couple Serpents who made some mean comments but I just ignored them. Then I sat on the stairs of our trailer and this girl came, Toni. She offered me to spend the night at her trailer and she was really nice", I explained.
"Oh no, you can come home. You know that right?", Cheryl said. "I know but I don't think it's a good idea at the moment", I mumbled.
*
Jughead and I went to the station after school to talk to our dad. He was sitting in his cell while Jughead and I stood outside of it looking at him.
"When Archie told us about his little plan to help you get you on your feet and working with Fred, deep down, I knew it was a mistake", Jug mumbled disappointedly.
"Should have listened to your guts", FP snapped.
Jughead grabbed my hand giving it a little squeeze, "You really had us. Cleaning the trailer, convincing us that you quit drinking", I snapped at dad.
"I was so happy for the first time in so long. You paid attention to us, let's be honest. The only reason you even read my manuscript about Jason's murder was to make sure I wasn't onto you. And you didn't wanna take me to Toledo to get the family back together", Jughead scoffed.
"You wanted to run away", I concluded.
"I did what I had to do! What I aways do!", our dad snapped making me jump back slightly.
"Are you even sorry?", Jug asked him teasingly. "I'm sorry for getting caught. We done?", he asked making Jug and I shrug and turn around.
"Jughead, Lou look at me", dad snapped making us turn around. "Never ever come back here. You understand?".
"Got it", Jughead snapped and started pulling on my hand to lead us out of the station.
Jughead pulled his phone out and called Betty, "You were right, my dad is hiding something".
"What do you mean?", I asked my big brother. "Dad isn't telling the truth and I will find out what he is hiding. Go to Reggie's and as soon as we know more I will come and get you okay?", he asked me.
"Okay", I smiled at him. "Come here", Jug said and pulled me into a tight hug. "Nothing is ever gonna get between us. I promise I won't leave you", he whispered before placing a kiss on my forehead.
"Neither will I. The Jones kids are a team", I smiled at him and we did a little fist bump before I went over to my boyfriend's house.
*
"Do you want something to eat, dear?", Melinda asked me. "No thank you, Melinda", I smiled at Reggie's mom.
"I am so sorry for what happened, I can only imagine what you are going through but if you want you can stay here as long as you want", she smiled. "Thank you", I said.
"We are in my room, okay mom?", Reggie explained to his mom before we walked upstairs.
"God I missed spending time with you", Reggie muttered pulling me on top of him as we laid on the bed. "Me too", I muttered while resting my head in the crook of his neck.
Reggie picked out the Grinch movie and got us some cookies so we could be all cozy. We stayed cuddled up for about two hours and I enjoyed every second of it.
For one second everything seemed normal and how it used to be.
To my annoyance, our peace was broken by my brother who texted me he was outside and waiting for me. "I have to go, Reg", I told my boyfriend.
"It's fine, here wear this. It's cold outside", he mumbled handing me his grey hoodie. I smiled brightly before putting it on.
"I love you and thank you for today", I quickly placed a soft kiss on his plump lips. "I love you too and don't thank me", he chuckled.
After I went downstairs I quickly told Melinda and her husband goodbye and walked out to see my brother standing outside with Betty and Kevin.
*
"Whatever it is we're looking for, Joaquin didn't know if it'd help your dad or make things worse", Kevin explained while we walked through the woods.
We walked up to where the car was that Jason set up for him and Polly before our dad burned it. Joaquin told Kevin that there was something hidden that could reveal the truth.
"Well, I guess we're gonna find out", Jughead said. "And why did he wait so long to tell us?", I asked.
"FP called him from jail. Told him to forget about their plan, some contingency plan. He said it was too dangerous", Kevin explained.
"Déjà vu", Jughead muttered as we walked up to the spot of the once standing car.
We all started to search the place, "Hey, right here", Jughead called out and pulled a black bag from underneath the lying sticks on the ground.
He opened the bag and I quickly pulled out whatever was inside. I then saw that I was holding up the blue Bulldog jacket of Jason Blossom himself.
*
"This is meant to help FP?", Archie asked as we all stood in his garage, the jacket laid out on the floor.
"I don't know, looks like more incriminating evidence to me", Kevin muttered. "This just confirms that my dad torched Jason's getaway car and that his confession was true", Jughead muttered resting his hands on the little table.
"Why would FP say Jason's varsity jacket is dangerous? What would that mean?", Betty asked us all confused.
"I can ask my father, he would know, considering we found concrete proof that he hired the Serpents to kill Jason. Which probably means that your dad pulled the trigger, Jug, and Lou", Veronica explained coming into the garage.
"I'm sorry", she added making my smile fade.
"No, no, no, I'm not giving up yet", Betty muttered breaking the growing silence, "Put this on", she ordered putting the jacket on Archie.
She started to move her hands all over it and finally shoving them into the pockets, when. her face lit up.
"There's a hole in the pocket", she confessed excited. "Now we're just grasping at straws", Jughead muttered.
"No. I don't know about you guys, but whenever I have a hole in my pocket, I always lose my Chapstick in the lining", she explained while running her hands again around the jacket.
"Or my Montblac", Veronica added.
"Hold on", Betty said and pulled out a USB stick.
"Nancy Drew strikes again", Kevin commented, I like the commenting way better than the snappy accusing of him.
We all sat down on the couch and Betty plucked the stick into her laptop. The stick held one file, a video.
We started the video. The video showed Jason being tied to a chair in some kind of basement. He struggled to get out of the chains but there was no use. Then Clifford Blossom stepped into the video, he held up a gun and shot his own son right into the forehead.
We all gasped in shock and had tears running down our cheeks. I quickly grabbed my phone and dialed Cheryl's number.
"Lou, who are you calling?", Jughead asked. "Lou", Archie called out.
I didn't respond and held the phone to my ear.
"You need to get out of that house, Cheryl. Listen to me, your dad murdered your brother, get out of there", I said into the phone scared for my best friend.
"I understand. Thank you, gorgeous", Cheryl muttered before hanging the phone up.
After she hung up I turned to my brother and pulled him into a tight hug, our dad isn't guilty, just a complete dumbass.
*****
Hey, guysss!!!
One more chapter and it's finally time for the siblings to get more involved with the Serpents especially Lou...
Do you like Cheryl?